ARTISTIC MANAGEMENT

How do you perceive "Problems" and "Problem Solving"?

For some people a problem is like a "hot potato" that needs to be dropped immediately. For some others, it is little more fragile and precious. For this group of people, solving a problem is like finding the right place and right way to drop it without breaking it.

For another set, a problem is like a "piece of muck" on the road that you royally ignore and hurry past towards your desired destination.

There is another set of people with warrior-like approach, who treat a problem like a wild animal that needs to be hunted.

And, for some who are well-versed with the ways of the "motivational industry" define "problem" as an "opportunity", which sounds great but have a tough time trying to figure out whether it really means anything.

How would you describe what "Problems" and "Problem Solving" mean to you?

Whatever be the analogy used, for most people, a problem is an undesired state of turbulence, and problem-solving is the process of taking you out of this state into a more comfortable situation.

There is a fundamental approach with the whole concept of "problem-solving": it assumes a distinct beginning and end of the existence of a problem—when you "solve" a problem, you expect to reach a state which is more comfortable and happier.

Look back and remember the last time you did a real good job of solving a complex problem in your life.

When you find that VC to fund your start-up, it spawns off a new set of challenges that are more difficult to face.

When you find the customer, it opens up a whole new set of problems (delivery, support, keeping customer happy).

No matter what problem you solve, if you really do a good job of solving it, it will definitely bring a newer and bigger set of problems.

Now, consider this. If you look at problems as a hot potato, you will keep getting bigger and hotter potatoes every time you drop one. How many hot potatoes will you drop?

If you look at problems as a muck to be avoided, you will constantly get bigger and stinkier mucks every time you avoid one. How long will you keep avoiding?

If you look at problems as a hunting experience, you will constantly meet more ferocious beasts. How many beasts can you keep slaying?

If you look at problems as an "opportunity"—well nothing much needs to be said about it.

A problem is a situation that you need to get past in order to encounter bigger, better and more desirable problems.

There is no end. There is no avoidance. There is no expectation to be comfortable.

Your whole aim is to get past the present challenge so that you can experience a bigger, better and more desirable challenge.

There is no "problem-solving" here, but "problem-dissolving". You don't try to fix the present situation, but get past one to reach another one to get through.

All our obsessions to learn "problem-solving" arise from the fact that we perceive problems as a threat, and we need something that will immediately kill the threat before it kills us.

That is the reason for all the stress in the corporate world: We have a totally screwed-up approach towards Problems and Problem-Solving.

In search of excellence?

We got it right when we said that we were in search of excellence. Not competitive advantage. Not economic growth. Not market dominance or strategic differentiation. Not maximized shareholder value. Excellence. It's just as true today. Business isn't some disembodied bloodless enterprise. Profit is fine—a sign that the customer honors the value of what we do. But "enterprise" (a lovely word) is about heart. About beauty. It's about art. About people throwing themselves on the line. It's about passion and the selfless pursuit of an ideal. It's about John Young sitting in his little cubicle working in his shirtsleeves. It's cool. In Search of Excellence—even the title—is a reminder that business isn't dry, dreary, boring, or by the numbers. Life at work can be cool—and work that's cool isn't confined to Tiger Woods, Yo-Yo Ma, or Tom Hanks. It's available to all of us and any of us.

Tom Peters' "True Confessions" about "In Search Of Excellence"